Portable folding rack



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L "U A R G S m L A0 MP B an A T R 0 P a d 0 M 0 M Patented Feb.- 16,1897.

9m t e e h s s t e e h 2 E m d O M 0 W PORTABLE FOLDING RACK.

No. 577,399. Patented Feb; 16, 1897.

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' Jfzarwya EMANUEL MARKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE FOLDlNG RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,399, dated February16, 1897.

Application filed July 9, 1896.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMANUEL MARKs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Portable Folding Racks,(Case No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a portable folding rack especially adapted forthe purpose of displaying goods, the object thereof being to provide arack wherein the qualities of sufficient strength and rigidity arecombined with the minimum of weight and space which the device willoccupy when folded.

The device of the present application will be found particularly usefuland convenient by traveling salesmen and merchants requiring racks whichmust frequently be moved for showing such articles as clothing, cloaks,and dry goods, and hotels having a commercial patronage will find saiddevice equally useful in the rooms where their patrons display samples.

By employing my device in a hotel any room maybe readily converted intoa sample-room, and when not thus needed the room may be used for otherpurposes, the display-racks being folded into small compass and placedwhere most convenient. If desirable, a traveling salesman could carryhis display-racks with him, which occupy only a small space in histrunks, and he would thus be enabled to show his goods wherever desired.

My device consists of a rack or stand, preferably constructed of steel,the top and supports being separable and both constructed so that theywill fold into small compass.

I will describe my invention more particularly by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of my device inelevation provided with a canvas cover and showing the display-toptilted at an angle. Fig. 2 is atop view of my device with the said coverremoved. Fig. 3 is an end view showing the adjustment of thedisplay-top. Fig. 4- is a view showing the display top partially folded.Fig. 5 is a detail view in section, showing the clamp for securing thedisplay-top in its ad- Serial No. 598,522. (No model.)

justed positions. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the supporting-arm andbracket. Figs. 7 and 8 respectively illustrate the displaytop and one ofthe standards folded ready for packing.

The same referenceletters designate like parts throughout the severalfigures.

The standards a a, formed of iron or steel tubing a, carry at theirlower ends collars b b, in which are pivotally mounted the legs 0 c,&c., forming a tripod support therefor. Loosely-fitting collars d d areprovided upon the standards,which are adapted to be secured at anyheight upon said standards by the thumb-screws cl d. To each leg of thetripod is pivoted a brace or arm 0 c, &c., the upper ends of said bracesbeing pivotally mounted in the collars d d.

Secured to the upper ends of the standards a a are the grooved heads 6e, which may be rotated thereon in a vertical plane, and are adapted tobe secured at an angle therewith by the clamps ff and thumb-screws f f.The heads 0 e are adapted to hold the displaytop g, which 'is formed inthree sections g g g which fold together, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Thesaid sections are preferably constructed of strips of sheet-steel ofsufficient thickness to withstand the weight the rack is designed tosupport, the strips being pivotally secured together at their ends toform the display-top. The outer longitudinal strips 71 of the saidsecintegrally therewith, by means of which the display-top may be foldedto one-third its length.

It will be observed that the lateral strips 71 are but half the width ofthe display-top and are pivotally secured to the central strips 7L3.WVhen the display-top is folded fiat, the sections maybe again folded orcollapsed, so that the top occupies but a few inches in width, as shownin Fig. 7 the strips b being rotated approximately through aquarter-circle and strips h being brought against the central strips 7LWhen the display-top is completely extended, the interior strips h areinserted in the heads c e, as shown in Fig. 2, the said stripspreferably tapering slightly, with their wider ends secured to thestrips it that the display-top may be more readily and securely tionsare provided with hinged ends hflformedinserted in the supporting-headsand thus held in position upon the standards.

Brackets Z; are secured to the strips 76, (see Fig. 6,) with whichshoulders upon the ends of the supporting-arms Z Z are adapted to engageand sustain the outer ends of the display top. The arms Z Z arepivotally mounted in the loose collars Z Z, sliding upon the standards aa, the said collars being provided with thumb-screws Z Z by which thesame may be secured in position at any desired height upon the saidstandards.

The display-top, as shown in Fig. 2, would not be adapted forsomepurposes, and I therefore provide a cover of canvas m, which is adaptedto be secured thereon by means of the leather corner-pockets m and thehooks m which engage the corners, ends, and sides of the said top andsecure the cover thereon, thus permitting the display of small articlesupon my rack.

\Vhen it is desired to pack the above device in small compass, thedisplay-top is removed from the standards and folded together, as abovedescribed, the thumb-screws Z and p, provided in the collars upon thestandards, are loosened, and the said collars are pushed upward upon thesaid standards, thus folding the legs 0 of the tripod and supporting-armZ against the tubular portion a, as shown in Fig. 8. \Vhen thus folded,a rack provided with a display-top six feet in length may be packed in aspace measuring thirty-one inches in length by three inches in width anddepth. The said rack weighs but eight pounds and is capable ofsustaining a weight of over one hundred and fifty pounds.

It is apparent that such a rack may be readily carried in a trunk ofmoderate size or stored in a drawer or other receptacle most convenientin a hotel sample-room. Furthermore, but a few moments are requiredeither to set up or pack my improved rack, as it is separable into butthree parts, which accurately fit together.

Some classes of goods, such as clothing, are more advantageouslydisplayed upon an inclined rack or table, and accordingly my i|nprovedrack is provided with means for inclining and securing the top at anydesired angle, as well as for holding the same in a horizontal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a display-rack, the combination with folding supports orstandards, of a displaytop constructed in sections adapted to be foldedupon one another, and then collapsed or again folded substantially inparallel planes, and means for securing the displaytop upon thestandards, substantially as described.

2. In a display-rack, the combination with the folding supports orstandards Ct, of the display-top g formed in sections adapted to befolded upon one another, the said sections being constructed of stripspivotally secured together, whereby the top is adapted to be againfolded or collapsed, and means for removably securing the display-topupon the standards, substantially as described.

In a display-rack, the combination with folding supports or standards a,of the folding and collapsible display-top g sectionally constructed andadapted to be secured thereto, arms Z adapted to support the outersections of the display-top, and means for laterally inclining andseeming the said top in position, substantially as described.

4-. Ina display-rack, the combination with folding supports or standardsa, of the collapsible display-top g constructed in sections g, 9 whichare hinged and adapted to be folded upon one another, supportingarmsZadapted to sustain the sections g and retatable clamps f whereby thesaid top may be inclined and secured at the angle desired, substantiallyas described.

5. In a display-rack, the combination with the folding supports orstandards a, of the collapsible display-top {1 section all y constructedand adapted to be mounted upon said standards, supporting-arms Z securedto the standards a and adapted to sustain the outer sections of thedisplay-top, clamps f whereby the said top is adapted to be inclined andsecured in the position desired, and a flexible cover on adapted to befastened upon the said display-top, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

6. In a display-rack, the combination with the foldin supports orstandards a, of the collapsible display-top g adapted to be securedthereto, the said top being constructed in hinged sections g, g ofmetallic strips pivotally secured together, clamps f adapted to securethe said display-top upon the standards at the desired angle therewith,and supportingarms Z, and brackets 7t adapted to sustain the outer endsof sections g substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 3d day of July, A.D. 1806.

EMANUEL MARKS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE L. CRAGG, A. L. LAwRENcE.

